Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill are two of the modern greats of the game. Hardik, a player that has been a pillar of strength for the Mumbai Indians for quite some time has had his captaincy exposure in Gujarat while leading them to their maiden IPL title. Gill on the other hand is a relatively new player who has had his impact in the game with consistent performances at a good strike rate and he has just started his captaincy journey for the Gujarat Titans. Both of them in the 2024 IPL season, had a poor run failing to qualify for the playoffs and they will be all in to give it their all to qualify for the playoffs in the 18th edition of the IPL.
Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya, the Indian all-rounder, was a core member of the Mumbai Indians until 2022, when he was traded to the new franchise, the Gujarat Titans. The franchise saw a captaincy flare in Hardik Pandya and decided to give him the captaincy role in their first IPL season.
Hardik was brilliant in his first season as he even sacrificed his position in the middle and promoted himself to the top order at number 3. Hardik Pandya, who is renowned for his aggressive batting style and power-hitting abilities, changed his approach to the game and decided to play the anchor role for the team. Hardik Pandya ended up 4th in the orange cap list, scoring 487 runs at a strike rate of 131.26 and scoring 4 fifties. He led his side to the IPL title in the debut season of the franchise. Gujarat Titans finished as table-toppers in both their seasons under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya.
Later, Mumbai Indians brought back their star player, Hardik Pandya, to the side and gave him the captaincy role, replacing Rohit Sharma, considering the long-term run of the franchise. Hardik Pandya had the worst possible start as a captain for the Mumbai Indians, as they finished 10th in the season, winning only 4 out of their 14 fixtures. He wasn’t at his best with the bat and ball, as he couldn’t score much or take wickets. He wasn’t welcomed well by the fans as they couldn’t see their franchise legend, Rohit Sharma, playing under anyone else. Hardik Pandya would be looking to change his fortunes as the captain of the franchise and will be under immense pressure to fill the shoes of the five-time IPL winning captain, Rohit Sharma.
Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill, the Indian opening batsman, had two good seasons with KKR in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, scoring 440 runs and 478 runs, making him the top scorer for the Kolkata Knight Riders. He is a talented batsman who reads the game very well and has cemented his spot in the Indian Cricket Team as well at such a young age.
Ahead of the 2022 IPL auction, Gill was drafted by the newly started Gujarat Titans franchise. He scored 483 runs in 2022 and 890 runs in the 2023 season. He was the key player of the Gujarat Titans in terms of scoring runs, as the batting unit was set to be built around him. His form is crucial to the Gujarat Side, and he is one of the most talented youngsters in today’s cricket. After the departure of Hardik Pandya in 2024, Shubman Gill was appointed as the captain of the Gujarat Titans. He scored 426 runs at a strike rate of 147.40 and didn’t have the best of starts, as they only won 5 games and finished 8th in the table. Gill would be heading to the 18th edition of the IPL, hoping to change things for the Gujarat Titans and finish in the top 4.
CAPTAINCY RECORD
HARDIK PANDYA
| MATCHES | WON | LOST | WIN% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 26 | 19 | 57.77% |
SHUBMAN GILL
| MATCHES | WON | LOST | WIN% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 5 | 7 | 35.71% |
BATTING RECORDS
HARDIK PANDYA
| Innings | Runs | Avg | SR | 50 | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 128 | 2525 | 28.7 | 145.6 | 10 | 0 |
SHUBMAN GILL
| Innings | Runs | Avg | SR | 50 | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | 3249 | 37.8 | 136.3 | 20 | 4 |
As far as captaincy is concerned, Hardik is an excellent captain with great records and a successful captain, but we can’t judge the captaincy of Gill with just one season, as he is a youngster and comparatively inexperienced. He will take time to adapt to his role and to find the right winning combinations. Both Hardik and Gill are phenomenal batsmen in their respective roles, as both play a fundamental role in the batting unit of both the Gujarat Titans and the Mumbai Indians. This is an exciting battle to look up to as Gill has played under the captaincy of Hardik at Gujarat and will be aware of his game plans, and Gill will have a good learning experience under experienced players such as Jos Buttler.
